New York, 25 September 2021
76TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY (New York, 14 September - 2021)
General Debate (From 21 to 27 September 2021)
Theme: "Building Resilience through hope to recover from COVID-19, rebuild sustainably, respond to the needs of the planet, respect the rights of people, and revitalize the United Nations"
STATEMENT BY H.E. PAUL BIYA, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON
Delivered by the Minister of External Relations of the Republic of Cameroon
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- Mr President,
First and foremost, I would like to congratulate you on your election as President of this session and assure you of the support and full collaboration of the Cameroonian delegation. Without any doubt, your rich experience will help to ensure the success of our proceedings.
Furthermore, I would like to commend the remarkable work done by your predecessor, Mr VOLKAN BOZKIR, and to appreciate the positive outcomes recorded during his stewardship, against the backdrop of major challenges compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.
I would also like to extend my hearty and warm congratulations to Mr Antonio GUTERRES on his re-election to the helm of the United Nations General Secretariat for a second term. He will thus have the opportunity to keep up the outstanding progress achieved during his previous tenure, notably in terms of reforms and, more specifically, with regard to the repositioning of the United Nations Development System.
Also, I would like to assure him of my country's commitment to supporting him in strengthening the United Nations and implementing a global agenda for peace and sustainable development.
- Mr President,
- Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is with conviction that, on Cameroon's behalf, I am taking the floor in this general debate on the theme: "Building Resilience through hope to recover from COVID-19, rebuild sustainably, respond to the needs of the planet, respect the rights of people, and revitalize the United Nations"
I find this theme very apt at a time when mankind is confronted with the COVID-19 pandemic. Its devastating social and economic effects are calling into question the progress achieved in poverty reduction, and jeopardizing the achievement of our 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
A strong appeal should now be launched for a renewed impetus to be given to human solidarity in order to take our "common destiny" into our hands.
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To secure "the future we want", we cannot afford to continue shying away from the multiple significant commitments made during recent conferences on environment and climate change, in particular the Paris Agreement and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on financing for sustainable development.
The COVID-19 pandemic affords us the opportunity to provide concerted, lasting and comprehensive solutions to the multiple threats and global and complex challenges facing our planet and humanity.
• Mr President,
It is important to urgently catch up on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, a delay stemming from non-fulfilment of the commitments made and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
To that end, our political will should remain steadfast.